Strategic Switch: 3 steps to uncover problems clients don't know they have

Welcome to the 2nd issue of Strategic Switch!

Over the years building my design business, I’ve worked with a lot of clients, made my fair share of mistakes, and learned some powerful lessons along the way.

One of the biggest? Learning how to uncover the real problems clients are facing, (even when they can’t quite articulate them).

Problem diagnosis is a skill every successful freelance designer needs. Because when you can name what’s really going wrong in a business, your work stops being a “nice-to-have” and becomes a must-have. That’s when clients are willing to pay a premium.

In today’s newsletter, we’ll break down how to develop this skill, and why it’s such a game-changer.

Let’s get into it.

Every designer dreads hearing the client feedback: “Make it pop.”

But during my early years of freelancing, I had a client say something that haunted me for weeks: “Our brand looks great, but it hasn’t made any real impact.”

Great design work.

No business impact.

That’s when I realized that most of us are playing the wrong game entirely. We’re optimizing for aesthetic approval instead of any real transformation.

This conversation changed how I approach every single client project, because it revealed the three massive blind spots that keep Generic Designers stuck:

Mistake #1: They assume the client knows what their real problem is

Client says: “We need a new logo because ours looks unprofessional.”

Generic Designer thinks: “Got it. Make a more professional-looking logo.”

Let’s break this down.

First, what exactly is “more professional-looking?”

For some, it’s more minimal. For some, it could be customized typography.

But how many actually care to clarify?

And even if they do, most designers forget that clients are experts at their business, not at diagnosing brand problems.

When they say “unprofessional logo,” what they might actually mean is:

• “We’re losing clients to competitors who charge 3x more”

• “Our target audience has evolved but our brand hasn’t”

• “We can’t attract top talent because we look like a startup”

Generic Designers take the client’s self-diagnosis at face value and end up solving the wrong problem entirely.

Mistake #2: They focus on surface-level symptoms instead of root causes

The client explains their problem, and Generic Designers immediately jump to surface-level solutions.

“Our social media isn’t performing” becomes “you need better social templates.”

“We’re not attracting enough customers” becomes “you need a more eye-catching logo.”

“We can’t attract high-end clientele” becomes “you need more sophisticated design.”

But…

• What if their social media isn’t performing because their messaging is confused?

• What if they’re not attracting customers because they’re positioned in the wrong category

• What if they can’t attract high-end clientele because their service experience doesn’t justify it?

You can create the best Instagram templates in the world, but if the underlying brand strategy is broken, those templates are just pretty decorations on a sinking ship.

Yet, Generic Designers focus on treating symptoms while the disease continues to spread.

Mistake #3: They never question WHY the client thinks they need what they’re asking for

This is where things get really dangerous.

Not only do Generic Designers accept the client’s diagnosis and focus on symptoms, they never dig into the reasoning behind the request.

Client says: “We want to look more high-end to justify higher prices.”

And they go: “Got it. Expensive fonts, sophisticated colors, done.”

But they’re almost afraid to ask the crucial questions:

• What makes your product actually high-end?

• Who’s your target audience and how do they make buying decisions?

• What does your customer journey look like, and where can we enhance the brand visuals to actually deliver a high-end experience?

Without understanding the “why,” you’re designing blind.

And when you design blind, you might create something that looks high-end but actually repels the exact customers who would pay premium prices.

Most designers think strategy means asking clients to fill out a “brand questionnaire”.

Strategic Brand Designers know that real strategy means becoming a business detective.

While one approach gives you surface-level answers that lead to surface-level solutions, the other uncovers hidden business problems that clients didn’t even know they had.

Here’s how Strategic Brand Designers approach every project:

Strategic Brand Designers include a Strategy Stage that essentially audits the company’s foundations

Generic Designer: Jumps straight into design after a brief kickoff call + client’s pinterest board.

Strategic Brand Designer:“Before we design anything, we need to understand your business foundations, the competitive landscape, and where you’re trying to go. Let’s figure out what’s actually happening.”

While Generic Designers start with mood boards and color palettes, Strategic Brand Designers start with frameworks and competitor research.

They dig into:

• Purpose, mission, vision, values

• Target audience and mapping out the customer journey

• Detailed analysis of top competitors

They figure out what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s missing entirely.

Because they know that designing without understanding the business fundamentals is like performing surgery without an X-ray.

This strategy stage consistently reveals problems that clients had no idea existed and opportunities they never knew were there.

Strategic Brand Designers create with both today and tomorrow’s problems in mind

Generic Designer:“Here’s a logo that looks more professional, as requested.”

Strategic Brand Designer:“Here’s a brand system that positions you for the new market you want to enter next year, while solving your current differentiation problem.”

Strategic Brand Designers don’t just solve today’s requests. They understand where the business is headed and design systems that support that growth.

They ask questions like:

• Where do you want to be in 3 years?

• How will your audience evolve?

• What competitive threats are emerging?

The “plan” doesn’t matter, the “planning” does.

Strategic Brand Designers identify untapped revenue opportunities through design

Generic Designer:“I made your packaging look more premium, as requested.”

Strategic Brand Designer: “We had discussed that the main goal was to differentiate the brand from budget competitors and attract customers willing to pay more. This new packaging positions you as the premium option and supports the higher price point you’re targeting.”

Strategic Brand Designers see design as a business improvement.

They understand that the right brand positioning can justify premium pricing. That clear differentiation reduces marketing costs. That strategic packaging design can increase perceived value and shelf appeal.

Their focus is to make businesses perform better.

The shift to actually becoming a “Strategic” Brand Designer starts with understanding what we mean by “strategy”.

But once you get that, it essentially boils down to these 3 steps.

The Strategic Brand Designer’s Problem-Solving Framework – 3 steps to uncover the real problems:

Step 1: Ask deeper questions when clients use vague business-speak

When a client says “Our value is inclusivity” or “We want to be innovative” – don’t nod and move on.

These are surface-level statements that mean nothing until you dig deeper.

Instead, ask:

• “What does inclusivity look like in practice for your customers?”

• “Can you give me a specific example of how you’re more inclusive than say some of your competitors?”

• “How do your customers currently experience this inclusivity, and where are the gaps?”

The goal is to turn abstract concepts into concrete, tangible insights.

Most clients think in generalities because that’s how they’ve been taught to talk about their business.

Step 2: Use the “5 Whys” method to reach the core problem

Everything can be broken down to its core within 5 “why?”s. This technique, borrowed from Toyota’s problem-solving methodology, works brilliantly for brand strategy.

Client: “We need a rebrand because we look outdated.”

Why do you think you look outdated?

​“Our competitors have much more modern, polished websites and branding.”

Why does that matter to your business?​

“We’re losing potential clients to them.”

Why are you losing clients specifically?​

“Prospects tell us they went with competitors because they seemed more ‘established’ and ‘trustworthy.’”

Why do they perceive your competitors as more trustworthy?

​“I think our outdated look makes us seem like we haven’t kept up with industry standards or invested in our business.”

Why haven’t you updated your brand to match current industry standards?​

“Honestly, we’ve been so focused on delivering great work that we neglected our own brand. We assumed our results would speak for themselves.”

See how we went from “we’re outdated” to “people think we haven’t invested in our business”?

And now you’ve uncovered the real issue: they’re losing credibility and trust because their brand doesn’t reflect their actual capabilities.

How are you supposed to get that from “we’re outdated”?

Step 3: Map the real business challenge and connect it to design solutions

Once you’ve identified the core problem, connect it directly to how strategic design can solve it.

Don’t just say “Here’s your new brand.”

Say “Here’s how this brand system solves the positioning challenge that’s been holding you back.”

For the client above, you might say:

“Based on our conversation, your real challenge isn’t looking ‘modern’, it’s a credibility gap.

Your actual capabilities far exceed what your brand communicates, which is costing you clients who make quick trust decisions based on visual first impressions.

Here’s how we’ll solve this:

We’ll create a brand system that immediately signals expertise, reliability, and industry leadership.

We’re not going to focus on any design trends, but instead we’ll focus on building visual credibility that matches your proven track record.

The goal is to ensure when prospects see your new brand, they instantly understand you’re a serious player in this space, and you’re here to stay”

This is what transforms you from a “design service provider” into a “Strategic Brand Designer.”

If this seems complicated, don’t worry. It’s all about repetitions. Once you follow these steps 5-10-15 times, it’ll become so ingrained in you that you’ll do it in your sleep!

The toughest part is to get started.

So try it in the very next strategy call and share your experience with me?

I’d love to hear how it goes!

Chat soon,

Abi 😊

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